Why a Former Football Player Was Assaulted For Helping a Rape Victim

Disturbing on so many levels.

There are times when we feel utterly deflated by the stories of horrible men in the news — “pro-rape” pickup artists or online predators, for example — so it’s good for our souls when we hear about stand-up guys who treat women like they should be treated. Former University of Tennessee wide receiver Drae Bowles is one of those guys; he assisted a female student after she was sexually assaulted in November 2014. Unfortunately, Drae was allegedly punished for his good deed, and by his teammates no less.

A federal lawsuit filed this week alleges that Drae was assaulted by Tennessee football players twice after lending a hand to an unnamed female victim who accused players Michael Williams and A.J. Johnson of rape. The lawsuit states that Drae took the victim, referred to as Jane Doe IV, to the hospital after she was assaulted and supported her decision to report the rape. Another student, referred to as Jane Doe V, claims to have witnessed multiple players later “jumping” Drae. The suit also states that Jane Doe IV learned “athletic coaches were present” the first time Drae was assaulted, and that he was attacked again by players in a team facility.

Jane Doe IV is one of six female students — five alleged rape victims, plus Jane Doe V — who filed the suit in Nashville, accusing the University of Tennessee of violating Title IX and other federal laws, and creating a “hostile sexual environment” through “deliberately indifferent” actions before and after the rapes, four of which were allegedly committed by Tennessee athletes. The suit charges that UT’s policies made students more vulnerable to sexual assault, and that the university’s favoritism of male athletes prevented necessarily disciplinary action. And though no individuals were named as defendants, the suit does state that the former vice chancellor for student life, Tim Rogers, stepped down in 2013 “in protest over the violation of Title IX and the UT administration’s and athletic department’s deliberate indifference to the clear and present danger of sexual assaults by UT athletes.”

It’s bad enough if the university was treating possible sexual assaults with indifference; it’s even worse if someone who attempted to help — Drae — was punished as a result. Though he told the Knoxville News Sentinel in February 2015 that he hadn’t been assaulted, the lawsuit filed this week states that former linebacker Curt Maggitt “admitted” the second attack on Drae occurred, and that former defensive back Geraldo Orta told police “[Drae] had betrayed the team and that where [Geraldo] came from, people got shot for doing what [Drae] did.”

In response to the lawsuit, the University of Tennessee released a statement of their own, saying, “Like the many other college campuses facing the challenges of sexual assault, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has devoted significant time and energy to provide a safe environment for our students, to educate and raise awareness about sexual assault, and to encourage students to come forward and report sexual assault.” As for the specific charges UT is now facing, the statement noted that, “the University acted lawfully and in good faith,” and that “Any assertion that we do not take sexual assault seriously enough is simply not true.”

Both Michael Williams and A.J. Johnson — who were suspended when they were accused — will stand trial separately in June and July, and Drae has received a subpoena to testify.